rosekaufmann's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.2
- Helpful Votes:18,036
- Reviews Submitted:831
- First Review:April 2, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 27, 2014
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The evil Alura is back, and this time she’s attacking your homeland!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
WHERE'S THE LOVE?
PostedNovember 7, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
A prince returns to his kingdom to find it has been ruined by an evil witch and must travel back in time to stop a young girl from becoming that witch.
GOOD:
Clever and somewhat involved ways to trigger HOS
Heavy on 3 types of HOS: interactive; fragment and putting objects back into the scene
Nicely done fun puzzles with good graphics, but they take a backseat to the HOS
Unintrusive new-age music
Good-looking graphics of different types from hand-drawn to 3D (or is it 2D?)
Whimsical characters, particularly animals
Items are in the past that did not exist at the time
Interactive map
Clever and somewhat involved ways to trigger HOS
Heavy on 3 types of HOS: interactive; fragment and putting objects back into the scene
Nicely done fun puzzles with good graphics, but they take a backseat to the HOS
Unintrusive new-age music
Good-looking graphics of different types from hand-drawn to 3D (or is it 2D?)
Whimsical characters, particularly animals
Items are in the past that did not exist at the time
Interactive map
NOT SO GOOD:
CE has few worthwhile extras – only a bonus chapter, music tracks and artwork.
Title is a misnomer – there is no romance.
Storyline has been done before several times and isn’t the most cohesive.
CE has few worthwhile extras – only a bonus chapter, music tracks and artwork.
Title is a misnomer – there is no romance.
Storyline has been done before several times and isn’t the most cohesive.
SUMMARY: go with the SE.
I recommend this game!
Rescue your daughter from the clutches of the evil Emma!
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
DON'T TRUST ANYONE LIVING ALONE IN A FOREST
PostedNovember 7, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A really intriguing mystery. You start with a car crash, but at least it isn't raining and a sinister figure didn't appear. How is an old woman who takes you and your daughter in (albeit for nefarious reasons) still alive (or is she) when she disappeared and supposedly died decades ago? You move through the adventure effortlessly.
HOS are wide open and objects (list-based) are easy to find. Puzzles are not difficult and your direction is always forseeable. Game is somewhat linear. There doesn't seem to be a dull moment in the gameplay. The old woman cackles and the crows appear suddenly, adding to the mystery and intrigue. Is she a witch and the crows her minions?
Can't wait to find out. I don't understand people who keep complaining about stories that have been done before. Perhaps they would better be served if they sent in their original stories to the developers and see what comes out. I just don't believe there can be that many different stories out there - mostly just different twists and turns with good gameplay is enough for me. But I'm easy.
I recommend this game!
The rich folklore continues with this exciting tale set in an old Slavic land. As Child of Spring, can you save the world from eternal winter?
Overall rating
5
/
5
75 of 105 found this review helpful
HOW AWFUL - NO PRETTY SPRING
PostedNovember 7, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Can't imagine anyone not liking this game. It HAS SO MUCH - 4 modes of difficulty, including customized play; making of the game; replaying HOS and mini-games; bonus HOS; movies; map with objectives and notation of places where there are outstanding activities to do; a helpful pet and purchases for it; and achievements.
STORYLINE: How awful - no spring (which probably means no summer). Only the hard-core winter sports enthusiasts would like a constant winter. It's up to you to restore spring.
This must be a LONG game since you get an achievement for completing it in less than 5 hours. Since I play very casually, I'm expecting about 7 hours. The HOS are not crowded and the objects are nicely spread out, but the palette of the objects seems to favor shades of only a few colors, so you still have to hunt for them. If you prefer not to play HOS, you have a match 3. PUZZLES are terrific - not too difficult but still creative and entertaining. MOVIES are great for moving the story along.
Love the little ERMINE. He's helpful in a different way than we are used to. He helps you with objects. His first task was to fix a messed up rope so you could actually use it. I preferred to watch him do it in lieu of immediately searching for other activities to do. Like that you have to also save various animals.
VOICE OVERS and MUSIC were very good. There is no lip sync in English. But that doesn't bother me since the game is translated into different languages. So there would always languages with no lip sync. GRAPHICS are superb; beautiful and very detailed locations. A lot of thought went into this game and for me, the CE wins hands down over the SE, as it has everything I would like in a game and is worth the extra cost to me. Can't wait to play the entire game with bonus.
I recommend this game!
Love & Death ™: Bitten ™
Help Damon and Victoria defeat an evil vampire queen as they fall deeply in love with one another! Can love overcome death?
Overall rating
5
/
5
THEY BIT ME 3 TIMES ALREADY
PostedNovember 6, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Took a little over 4 ½ hours to complete. A bit of a cheesy story, but still fun to play. You play as Damon, the vampire, by night and Victoria by day. As Victoria, you try to help Damon obtain a potion that will restore his humanity. There are 7 chapters and about 30 HOS. Tasks are shown in the lower right. Collect different amounts of blood so Damon can complete tasks requiring strength. Crows will periodically appear with scrolls; click them to open a HOS. The HOS are not too crowded and can be challenging, not because the objects are tiny, but because they can be very well blended into the background. There are a number of fun puzzles – quite a few will require you to place an object where it belongs when you hit the right spot of a meter. But this is only in the first chapter or two.
You don’t get nudged into the right direction often. You may know what needs to be done, for example, but need to figure out how to do it. The hint button or conversation of Damon or Victoria may help you out – then again, it may not. The graphics are pretty. The voice overs are okay – they sound like they are on a theatrical stage and therefore trying to project their voices.
Collect 100 golden leaves to unveil a vision from the Fates. Golden leaves can be found in HOS and sometimes you need to return to a scene more than once to have all leaves become available. You have a cauldron on the right which will tell you how many leaves you’ve collected and how far you have progressed. Your leaf by the cauldron flashes gold if there are more leaves in the scene, but they can be very large or very well hidden. I didn’t get the 100 golden leaves the first two times I played. I finally collected enough and got a glimpse into the future, which is an additional ending to that shown in the normal gameplay. I guess you need to be careful what you wish for.
I recommend this game!
You're a young vampire passionately in love with a human. However, the burning desire for blood is in you. Remove the curse and become human again!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
BECOME A HUMAN AGAIN - IS IT POSSIBLE?
PostedNovember 6, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Other reviewers have described the game abundantly, so I won't repeat. The graphics in this game were beautifully done and the atmosphere was appropriate to the plot (edging on the spooky side). Music was apropros. But it seemed the main adventure was working, eating (why did I get to eat ribs when I ordered fruit), learning, talking, buying - hmmm, sounds a lot like life, huh? The initial horse was a little slow, but it was cute watching him run to our next location. And he can be upgraded later. Nice game, but I guess I like a little more action.
I recommend this game!
Your archaeologist fiancé has been abducted in Prague! Unravel an ancient mystery and save humanity from destruction as you rescue him!
Overall rating
3
/
5
17 of 27 found this review helpful
UNSPECTACULAR GAME PLAY
PostedNovember 6, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Although the story line was different than what we normally see, it ended up boring me because of the game play. It was just uninspiring to me, probably because of the game play. The puzzles were very easy and the HOS were the normal fare. There was too much sorting items - papers, trash. Music and voice overs were pleasant enough. Graphics were okay - Prague has beautiful architecture and it could have been shown off a little more. Conversations were okay - a combination of written and spoken words.
Michael must be some kind of boyfriend - he doesn't even meet his gal at the airport and leaves the arranged meeting place before she gets there - just because there was a suspicious man around. He waited all of a half hour. She needs to replace him.
Although this is not a bad game, I just felt there should be more to it. I hate getting sleepy while playing a game (and I just got up).
I recommend this game!
Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles Collector's Edition
Charles Baskerville is the latest victim of a centuries-old curse! Help Holmes break the curse before the next murder occurs!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
SOLID HOWLING GAME
PostedNovember 5, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on complete game, both casual and hard modes. Moderate length (a few hours).
Gameplay: Straightforward. 7 descendants of Baskervilles need their coats of arms restored in order to be released from their eternal gloomy nonexistence. Along the way, you acquire super powers like materialization and perception (which is really illumination) so you’ll be breaking a lot of things and lighting a lot of dark places.
Gameplay: Straightforward. 7 descendants of Baskervilles need their coats of arms restored in order to be released from their eternal gloomy nonexistence. Along the way, you acquire super powers like materialization and perception (which is really illumination) so you’ll be breaking a lot of things and lighting a lot of dark places.
Travel is between the past and present through portals in each Baskerville room and, once you have all the pieces for the coats of arms, you are given a chance to immediately go to the pictures to complete the coats of arms. Of course, this being about Sherlock Holmes, all the cases are solved.
HOS were well defined and decently sized. The difficulty of the varied puzzles was easy to moderate. Graphics were clear. Music and sound was good. You are notified when all activities in a location have been exhausted. Of course, we know all the cases were solved, or this wouldn’t be a Sherlock Holmes game.
Beginners will be able to play the game without pulling all their hair out.
I recommend this game!
If you have enough courage to challenge the darkness, then you’ll manage to find out the mystery of the Rossolimo family.
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
STRONG & CHALLENGING - ESPECIALLY PUZZLES
PostedNovember 4, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Took approximately 6 hours to complete this strong and challenging adventure game. An evil brother is kept at bay by a light in the family crypt (who keeps a crypt in their mansion?), until it breaks and the evilness escapes. Your job is to recapture him.
GOOD:
• Many puzzles of various complexities. But see my comment in “Not So Good.” Every minigame’s instructions are to solve the mini-game, period. Many of them are very, very challenging. Novices will likely skip them or look for a W/T with answers. All puzzles were directly tied into the story and gameplay.
• Voice-overs are very, very good.
• Many locations and lots to do. You can’t feel “cheated” with the location. Story keeps you interested throughout the game. Ending was great.
• Every location has a bright, lovely and friendly modern scene, as well as an “identical or similar” dark and dreary evil scene. This multiplies the locations and you will have to travel between the two types of scenes to complete the locations. It’s a lot of fun, but you have to have a good memory or pen and paper.
• HOS are either list-based or putting items into the scene where they belong. A lot of attention to detail and they are moderately but not overly crowded. Your prizes are directly related to the gameplay. There’s no disjointed HOS here.
• Animation and graphics are great.
• Many puzzles of various complexities. But see my comment in “Not So Good.” Every minigame’s instructions are to solve the mini-game, period. Many of them are very, very challenging. Novices will likely skip them or look for a W/T with answers. All puzzles were directly tied into the story and gameplay.
• Voice-overs are very, very good.
• Many locations and lots to do. You can’t feel “cheated” with the location. Story keeps you interested throughout the game. Ending was great.
• Every location has a bright, lovely and friendly modern scene, as well as an “identical or similar” dark and dreary evil scene. This multiplies the locations and you will have to travel between the two types of scenes to complete the locations. It’s a lot of fun, but you have to have a good memory or pen and paper.
• HOS are either list-based or putting items into the scene where they belong. A lot of attention to detail and they are moderately but not overly crowded. Your prizes are directly related to the gameplay. There’s no disjointed HOS here.
• Animation and graphics are great.
NEITHER GOOD NOR NOT SO GOOD:
• To further amuse yourself, click on the animals and watch vases.
• To further amuse yourself, click on the animals and watch vases.
NOT SO GOOD:
• Directions for puzzles are “solve the minigame to open” the door, exit, et al. That’s it! No additional information of what to do. The more experienced a gamer is, the more likely s/he can solve the puzzle. Unfortunately, newbies and most intermediates will have a great deal of difficulty figuring out what they are supposed to do and end up skipping them. Some of them make you feel smart when you complete them successfully.
• Once you are able to escape the mansion into the outdoors, the more locations open up. There is no map, so you have to remember what objects you need to complete the scenes. This becomes quite a mental ordeal – pen and paper will greatly help those without the greatest memory once you have a large number of locations open. This becomes particularly frustrating, especially when you knew where you wanted to go but forgot how to get there.
• Directions for puzzles are “solve the minigame to open” the door, exit, et al. That’s it! No additional information of what to do. The more experienced a gamer is, the more likely s/he can solve the puzzle. Unfortunately, newbies and most intermediates will have a great deal of difficulty figuring out what they are supposed to do and end up skipping them. Some of them make you feel smart when you complete them successfully.
• Once you are able to escape the mansion into the outdoors, the more locations open up. There is no map, so you have to remember what objects you need to complete the scenes. This becomes quite a mental ordeal – pen and paper will greatly help those without the greatest memory once you have a large number of locations open. This becomes particularly frustrating, especially when you knew where you wanted to go but forgot how to get there.
I recommend this game!
Help James defeat the sinister Sandman!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
GREAT ADVENTURE BUT MAYBE SHORT FOR SOME
PostedNovember 4, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed game in 3 hours. If you're a fast player, you may complete most of it during the demo. It’s the 19th century. Your friend Mary was taken by the Sandman. He will drain her of her energy and soul unless you save her in time.
Voice overs – very good
HOS – easy, mildly crowded, detailed
Puzzles – very unique, interesting and varying degrees of challenge. Last puzzle I found rather hard.
Good ratio of HOS to puzzles
Adventure – lots of it
Music – nonintrusive
Sense of humor – the cat in the hat was very amusing; the sick raccoon was amusing and he sure was demanding
Monsters – appear after Mary was taken a second time
Graphics – very good, colorful where appropriate
Animation - excellent
HOS – easy, mildly crowded, detailed
Puzzles – very unique, interesting and varying degrees of challenge. Last puzzle I found rather hard.
Good ratio of HOS to puzzles
Adventure – lots of it
Music – nonintrusive
Sense of humor – the cat in the hat was very amusing; the sick raccoon was amusing and he sure was demanding
Monsters – appear after Mary was taken a second time
Graphics – very good, colorful where appropriate
Animation - excellent
I recommend this game!
Unfinished Tales: Illicit Love
After the Raven Queen crashes her wedding, Thumbelina must save her prince to reclaim her happy ending!
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 16 found this review helpful
OUTRAGEOUSLY WONDERFUL
PostedNovember 4, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
SUMMARY: This is one of the most fascinating games I’ve tried. I almost want the CE and the SE because they are just superb in almost all ways.
STORY: You play Thumbelina? Can you solve the mystery of your groom’s past and save you Floral Kingdom from the evil witch on your wedding day? Is your groom as evil as portrayed in the cutscenes? Will you end up with him? Who is this Raven Queen? Others have gone into details, so I’ll leave it at this. Questions and questions to answer.
SIGNATURES: Outrageously gorgeous scenery – you want to linger in the scenes just to absorb it. Wonderful animations – you can get more animation by moving your cursor around the scene. You want to delay moving on to the next scene until you’ve exhausted your eyes. Just like a Disney movie. Realistic sounds – I could feel the heat from the crackling fire. Voice overs range from terrific to slightly exaggerated. Has one of the top 10 “attention to details” award in my opinion. Puzzles are a lot of fun and unique. If there’ one complaint, it’s that you have to find all pieces of objects before you can use them (like both eyes).
CE OR SE: These and the bonus game would help you determine which edition to buy. In the CE, collect 50 butterflies. There are a lot of achievements and you need to review them before playing so you can figure out how to get all of them (which earns you another achievement). Like, one achievement is interacting incorrectly 50 times and taking a full 10 minutes for at least one HOG.
BASICS WHAT ELSE YOU GET: 4 volume controls, gamma control, widescreen capability, special effects choice, 3 game modes and an interactive map. Oh, and a very helpful magic mirror.
I recommend this game!